This majestic, magisterial film from Chilean-born maestro Raúl Ruiz, who died last year, is based on a labyrinthine, three-volume 19th century Portuguese novel by Camilo Castilo Branco. With its multitude of characters, Mysteries of Lisbon stretches across at least three different generations and, though set primarily in the capital city of the title, travels to multiple countries. The film is bookended by the voice-over of a character named Pedro da Silva—who, as a 14-year-old, goes by the name João. This young man serves as our guide in this multilayered, endlessly inventive movie: Believing himself to be an orphan, João soon discovers that he’s the son of a countess. This revelation leads to several other connections and mysteries to be unraveled, often involving one character’s memories nestled inside another’s. Mysteries of Lisbon, which begins as the story of one boy’s quest to discover his true origins, expands to include the reminiscences of legions. Much like Ruiz’s Time Regained (1999), a superb adaptation of the last volume of Marcel Proust’s In Search of Lost Time, Mysteries of Lisbon nimbly shifts from one perspective to the next, as the past and the present melt into one fluid time.

Special Note: Please note that because of the length of this film and the additional costs that will be charged by the distributor, should you choose to program this film with four other Tournées Festival films, you will receive an additional $460 with your grant if you screen it in 35mm, and $360 if you screen it in another format.